Maya
Maya Fallegeros is a playable female character who was first introduced in the 1996 arcade game Killer Instinct 2. An Amazonian queen who hails from South America's rain forests, in Killer Instinct (2013) she is the last remaining member of a secretive cabal of monster hunters known as the Night Guard. Maya made her second debut as a playable character in the Season Two of Killer Instinct (2013), and was given a fraternal twin in Season Three through the new character Mira. Maya became the first of the original Killer Instinct 2 cast to be reintroduced to the franchise after twenty years, and was made available in KI 2013 on October 15th, 2015. Biography Appearance In Killer Instinct 2, Maya appears as a South American Amazon with blond hair, who wears leopard-skin gloves, greaves, skirt, and a bra, and has several leather strings with pouches on her thighs. She also wears a bejeweled silver circlet on her forehead, and wields two wide-bladed steel daggers. Maya's appearance received a significant overhaul for Killer Instinct 2013. She no longer wears her leopard-skin clothing and instead dons an Incan-style golden armor set, consisting of a chest piece, shoulder guards, gauntlets, greaves, and boots. She has become noticeably taller, her skin tone is slightly darker than before, and her hair is longer; now worn in tightly woven braids down her back. She also features a twisting burn mark running up her left leg, given to her courtesy of Cinder. Maya's new twin daggers, the golden blades called Temperance and Vengeance, are ancient Egyptian relics that represent light & shadow, and were confiscated from the mad sorcerer Kan-Ra. Maya's retro costume largely mirrors her KI2 outfit, but with some notable differences: The leather strings around her thighs are replaced by golden snake ornaments (similar to her KI2 early design) which she also wears on her shins, forearms, and chest, and she now features a golden belt and circlet which both have a large emerald gem etched into them. Her hair is much shorter, but it retains the braids of her default appearance, and she wears golden snake-themed earrings. She still keeps Temperance and Vengeance from her default 2013 costume, rather than her original wide-bladed steel daggers. Personality Maya is a formidable young Amazon who stalks her enemies like a jungle huntress. She never hesitates to act in the face of danger, can be stouthearted to the point of recklessness, and is known for referring to foes as her "prey". Because of the forbidden blades Maya was forced to take up in her self-defense, the ancient twin daggers known as "Temperance" and "Vengeance", a grand struggle between light and darkness has begun inside her soul. ] Vengeance is constantly provoking Maya's most ruthless side, urging her to butcher any who stand in her way, while Temperance always entreats her heroic greatheartedness; buffering the dark temptations Vengeance elicits and preventing Maya from losing control over her passions. Wielding only one of the magical daggers can have an adverse effect on her psyche, especially when she only holds Vengeance, and so Maya tries to have both on hand at all times; to even out the cosmic opposites the two blades embody. As Temperance and Vengeance exert their influence with perfect balance, it is their wielder's own disposition towards good or evil that determines which dagger will gain the upper hand. The mystic artifacts are therefore notorious for always revealing the true nature of those who wield their tremendous powers. Abilities & Powers Maya has the body of a champion athlete and she boasts the dexterity of an acrobat to match. Moving deftly across the battlefield with Temperance and Vengeance at the ready, her agility allows her to evade opponents with ease, only to close in without warning and tear them to shreds in a whirlwind of steel when the opening presents itself. In KI 2013, she can also hurl Temperance and Vengeance at her enemies as magical projectiles, causing the daggers to accumulate mystical powers that increases their attack strength and enables them to break through any foe's defenses. Maya also may link the twin blades together by their hilts, turning them into a powerful double-bladed weapon called "Enmity" that is twice as dangerous. Temperance and Vengeance also have telepathically linked Maya to Kan-Ra, the nefarious sorcerer who has brought the golden daggers with him from ancient Egypt, allowing the two enemies to keep track of each other by experiencing visions about one another. As the daughter to one of the original Night Guard's most esteemed hunters, Maya has also been well-trained in various Brazilian martial arts as well as ancient Incan combat tactics, which is seen most noticeably in the swiftness and power of her legwork and her predator-style fighting techniques. Killer Instinct 2 '' (1996)]] Story Made queen of the land of Amazonia after her part in banishing the dark lord Gargos. Cast out by her tribe as Gargos returns, Maya must vanquish him to regain her throne. Extended Story The return of the tyrannical Gargos to the ancient world is welcomed by few. Among his foremost adversaries are the Amazons of the great jungle, whose recently-crowned Queen, Maya, earned great respect for her part in the original banishment of the demonic warlords. Now that one of them has returned to lay his curse on the world, Maya's tribes folk cast her from the realm. Until the threat is permanently dealt with, she is forbidden to return. Endings Kill Tusk Maya saves her home land from Gargos. Life in the rain forest can proceed as normal. Triumphant, Maya returns home on her own to the jungle realm of Amazonia. The enchantments of the queen keep the tribe well defended, and although lonely, she rules well. Don't Kill Tusk Maya saves her home land from Gargos. Life in the rain forest can proceed as normal. The threat has been destroyed, and Maya has earned a new admirer she quite takes a fancy to... The two are soon married, and with the protection of Maya's goddess, their reign is a long and peaceful one. Stage Killer Instinct (2013) ]] Maya was the 2nd character to be released for the Season Two of ''Killer Instinct (2013), and became the first of the original Killer Instinct 2 cast to be reintroduced to the franchise after twenty years. Story A headstrong warrior with a will of steel, in battle Maya can always be found on the front lines charging in with her daggers, Temperance and Vengeance. When Ultratech raids the hidden temple of the Night Guard and begins to loot the dangerous artifacts that were sealed within, Maya takes up the golden daggers known as Temperance and Vengeance, the ancient blades of the mad sorcerer Kan-Ra, and sets out to destroy the horrors Ultratech again unleashed unto the world. Extended Story Temperance & Vengeance: ''' Novella '''Chapter 6 — Shadows at Dawn: Shadow Lords Guard Duty (1/2) - before fighting Mira It is Maya's sworn duty to protect the world from the many horrors lurking beneath its shadows. The Night Guard have been busy of late, aiding the Alliance and hunting horrors that attempt to capitalize on the distraction the war has caused. For several months, rumors have surfaced of a new horror plaguing villages across the globe. Locals have been known to call her the "blood-witch". (Mira appears before Maya, and the sisters bitterly confront each other.) (2/2) - after fighting Mira background stage (KI 2013)]] Evil has been abolished in this corner of the Earth, and Maya can return to the Citadel knowing she has done her part. The "blood-witch" Mira has been slain. Though Maya's heart weighs heavy, she knows she has put an end to a great evil. Stage The City of Dawn is a high resolution remake of Maya's Killer Instinct 2 stage, Jungle. When an Ultra Combo is performed in City of Dawn, lightning begins to strike the Mesoamerican pyramids and the dam causing them to explode and leaving them in ruins. Gallery - KI2013 = Killer Instinct (2013) Mayareturns.gif|The Queen of the Jungle returns Maya 5.png|"Tall and strong-looking, with a pretty oval face, and long braids"—Maya's render in KI 2013 Maya Emblem2 Wallpaper 1920x1080-1.jpg|Maya's emblem, featuring Temperance and Vengeance Twindaggersmaya.gif|The Great Hunt has begun... Maya Wallpaper 1920x1080-1.jpg|''"Watch out. You might get cut."'' Temperanceprominent.gif|''"You're not worthy prey!"'' 15_maya.jpg|New & old Maya retro costume.png|Maya's default retro costume Mayacomparison2.jpg|Old & new maya-temperance-and-vengeance.png|Temperance (left hand) and Vengeance (right hand) MayaRetroUrban.png|Maya's retro costume - urban/biker chick Mayadaggerassault.jpg|Temperance and Vengeance linked together into the "Enmity" weapon Mayaingamemodel.jpg|Maya's new in-game model (XBox and PC) KIvalentine.jpg|An old flame that kept on burnin'... (Microsoft's KI art for Valentine's Day 2017) 27 omenmaya.jpg|Hunting the demons of Gargos with plenty of swagger My first killer instinct image by athenaasa-da3r865.png|United again with her fraternal twin... Image (13).png|...for as long as it lasted Killer_Instinct_Season_2_-_Hisako_Loading_Screen_5.png|Maya's first encounter with Hisako Screenshot.killer-instinct-ii-2013.853x480.2017-09-27.107.jpg|Maya pursuing one of the horrors unleashed by Ultratech Maya Screenshot 1.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 1 Maya Screenshot 2.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 2 Maya Screenshot 3.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 3 Maya Screenshot 4.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 4 Maya Screenshot 5.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 5 Maya Screenshot 6.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 6 Maya Screenshot 7.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 7 Maya Screenshot 8.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 8 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 1.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 1 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 2.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 2 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 3.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 3 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 4.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 4 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 5.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 5 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 6.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 6 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 7.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 7 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 8.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 8 Maya - City of Dawn.png|Maya in her new City of Dawn stage Mayawallpaper.jpg|Hi-res wallpaper of Maya Mayaprofile.jpg|Maya's in-game profile (KI 2013) Goldpack.jpg|As part of the "Gold Pack" with Jago and Kim Wu Maya Mimic Skin in retro costume.PNG|Maya's Mimic skin in her retro costume Maya Stage Ultra Pose.png|Stills from Maya's first Stage Ultra victory pose Mayastageultra.jpg Maya Stage Ultra Pose 2.png|Maya's second Stage Ultra victory pose MayaUltimate.jpg|Maya's new Ultimate Combo in KI 2013 Mayaultimate.jpg|No elephants this time }} Quotes "Pack One", released on February 14th, 2017 (Valentine's Day)]] Trivia *During her first reveal for Killer Instinct (2013), Iron Galaxy described Maya as "Incan inspired" and "of Latin origin", and succinctly characterized her as a "warrior, hunter, badass" and a "monster hunter extraordinaire". *Maya's new music theme for KI 2013, titled "Temperance & Vengeance" after the eponymous twin daggers, is a vocalized remix of her classic Killer Instinct 2 theme called "Jungle". It was composed by Mick Gordon and features the vocals of Ali Edwards. *The Killer Instinct Novella mentions that Maya's native language is Portuguese, verifying that she and her fraternal twin Mira are of a Pardo Brazilian ethnic background. Mira's backstory also reveals that both sisters have the motto of their family, "Sangue do Meu Sangue" (Portuguese for "Blood of My Blood"), tattooed "somewhere" on their bodies. **In a twist of irony, Mira was given the same body measurements in Killer Instinct (2013) that Maya originally had in Killer Instinct 2. Another twist is that even though Maya's appearance takes more after the Fallegeros' African ancestry than Mira's does, she's the only sister with the natural blond hair and blue eyes of their family's European background. *Maya's victory cinematic in KI 2013 shows her on the verge of slaying her foe in cold blood, but she restrains herself. This is an in-game reference to her story, which mentions that the magical blades, Temperance and Vengeance, wage war for control of her heart; with Vengeance inciting Maya to bloodlust and Temperance urging her to show moderation. Maya's ability to resist Vengeance's temptation reveals Temperance has the greater sway over her morality. **This is illustrated by the final screenshot of Maya's victory pose, which shows the light of Temperance shining brilliantly and the darkness of Vengeance receding. This moment of truth causes the daggers to uncover that Maya has a righteous and noble soul. **Temperance and Vengeance, the twin ceremonial blades dating back to the age of ancient Egypt's religion, are "weighing the heart" of whoever holds them; thereby exposing their wielder's true character to the world. This implies that these artifacts are connected to the ancient Egyptian goddess Ma'at. *Maya's name pronunciation was anglicized (MAY-ya) in Killer Instinct 2. This was later fixed in Killer Instinct (2013) where her name is pronounced (MAH-ya) properly. However, if the player choose Chris Sutherland (Classic) as the announcer her name will still be anglicized like in KI2. *On April 9th 2017, former KI designer Kevin Bayliss posted his original 1995 concept artwork of Maya on his Twitter account (which he took down the same day). It showed a design largely identical to Maya's final appearance in Killer Instinct 2, except that her attire was made of snakeskin rather than the pelt of a leopard. She also wielded a snake-themed staff or scepter instead of steel daggers, and her early concept names were "Amber" and "Cobra". **Interestingly, Maya's retro costumes in KI 2013 all feature snake-themed golden ornaments on her thighs, shins, forearms and chest, in what seems to be a throwback or tribute by Iron Galaxy to Bayliss' original concept artwork. **In KI 2013, Maya will sometimes yell "Cobra!" when performing special command moves with the Vengeance dagger. *The large burn mark visible on Maya's left leg was caused by Cinder, during the same Ultratech raid on the City of Dawn which forced her to take up Temperance and Vengeance. External Links *Maya's character page at the official Killer Instinct Website *Maya's gameplay profile at Infil's The Complete Killer Instinct Guide Media *Maya's trailer - Maya's official reveal for Killer Instinct (2013) *Maya's Ultimate - First reveal of Maya's new Ultimate Combo for KI 2013 *Pink Diamond (Maya) vs. BH Thompxson (Jago) - Video compilation of pro gamer matchups with Maya (KI 2013) Category:KI2 Characters Category:Characters Category:Female Characters Category:Good Characters Category:Killer Instinct 2013 Characters